Prepared roofing



Aug. 1,19ze. Y 1,595,079

' A. C. FISCHER PREPARED ROOFING Filed oct. 25, 1920 the underside to prevent the Patented Aug. 10, v19216, i n

UiTEo STATES APA'riazNT OFFICE.

IAppummm mea october 23,1920. seran No. 419,004.

rlhis invention relates to flexible sheet rooting of fibrous material, and has for its object to improve the preparation of the rooting sheets at their edges for joining by the overlapping and adhering edge of the marginal portions of the sheets.

ln my application Serial N o. 384,879, led May 28, 1920, l have disclosed a method ef and apparatus for excluding from the marginal portions of roofing sheets the mineral or weathering material that is applied to the main area of the sheet, so as to leave readily adhering surfaces of such marginal portions free and unobstructed for meeting corresponding surfaces and making the overlapped joint; such method of procedure involving the use of a strip or tape prepared 'to prevent its adhesion to the rooting material, and laid in position over theportion of the surface from which the weathering mineral is to be excluded `when the weathering material isv being deposited upon the sheet and embedded by pressure thereinto. ln my application Serial No.'411,629, filed September 20, 1920,-1 have shown and described a sander or apparatus for applying finishing material to the surface ot rooting sheets, in which the seaming edge or overlapping portion of the area ot' the sheet is similarly protected from the application 'of the surfacing material. ln carrying out the present invention one or both ofthese procedures and the machines disclosed for practicing the same may be used to advantage, and in addition thereto both sidesof the sheet Will be similarly treated; that is to say, the mineral or Weathcring material to be excluded from an overlapping' marginal portion on one side of the sheet will be excluded from that portion of the area which is to constitute the upper underlying portion of the sheet when on the root, and the talc, slate, or other surtace finishing material which is applied to roofing from adhering when in roll Will be excluded from the lower overlapping marginal portion or opposite edge and opposite 'side of the same sheet. Similarly, if mineral weathering material is not applied to the. side which is to constitute the outer surface of the roofing when in use, the talc, slate, or anti-adhering material vvill be applied to both sides of the sheet but excluded from the respective during the time` Vmaterial having applied along marginal portions lying near opposite edges and' on opposite sides of the sheets.

In my application Serial No. 27 3,868, tiled January 29,` 1919, I have described and claimed a self-adhering flexible roong material carrying upon its surface a slow-setting adhesive that 'adapts the material to adhere to a surface or to another piece of rooting material with Which it is brought in contact When put into use; andas a modification thereof have described rooting material having cementing material applied thereto but set or hardened before leaving the factory, andfthereafter rendered viscous or adhesive by means of a solvent applied thereto, as, for instance, after it arrives at the place of use, the solvent being applied either by means of a brush after the roof is laid out, or by dipping the portion of the rooting to be rendered adhesive into the solvent when loosely rolled or gathered in convenient form for the purpose. The present invention embodies the aforesaid modiied method of treatment, and to that extent constitutes a continuation of my application Serial No. 273,868.

ln my application Serial No. 393,016, tiled June 30, 1920, ll have described a roofing sheet having applied along its seaming inar-y gin a strip or vehicle which Will impart adhesive properties to the overlappin portions of the sheet, a modification t ereof consisting in having the ap lied strip serve as a vehicle for a solvent W ich attacks cementing substance on the sheets proper and renders such cementing material adhesive; and to the extent of embodiment of the vehicular method of' rendering effective the dipping method of bringing adhesive or a solvent for adhesive upon the cementing areas of the rooting material, the present application is also a continuationV of my aforesaid application Serial No. 393,016.

ln my application Serial No. 365,901, led March 15, 1920, l have described rooting its seaming or adhering areas strips, or the like, a packing material having a sufficient body to insure the inherent qualities of pliability, ductility, or plasticity to the extent that will insure its conforming to unevenness in the surface of rooting material and fill all spaces in a manner to insure a Weather-tight joint, such ormable packing member further bein adapted, if desired, for practicing the ve icular method of bringing an adhesive or solvent for adhesive on to the roofing sheet, as by making it wholly or largely of cementitious material with a non-flowing filler, or making it fof fibrous material impregnat. ed with a cementitious substance or appropriate solvent. Such characteristic features may be employed also in carrying out the provisions of the present invention.

ln carrying out the present invention, roofing material suitably impregnated .with bituminous or equivalent substance, has one or both of the marginal portionsflying on its opposite sides and remote edges protected during the application of the weathering material or anti-adheringsubstance, so as to leave such marginal portion or portions free from grit, mineral, or other substance whic will interfere with'adhesion of .overlappe portions. The roofing is then rolled, and, if desired, a tape or strip of cardboard or some other suitable material is located near the seaming edge and rolled with the roofing lso' that when the packaging is finished, grit will not sli down to the seaming area, and a spacer lwil be provided to keep apart the coils of the roll so that spaces will exist between the coils and extend in the axial direction at least as far as ythe width of the marginal seaming areas, and of sufficient dimension between coils to admit a solvent such as kerosene, gasoline, or other suitable solvent, and permit such solvent to act on the surfaces which are to constitute the seaming areas. Having been thus treated,

the roll is ready to be taken upon the roof,y

unrolled and placed in position for nailing.

an adhesive state and their impregnatmg cementitious substance and caused to flow together and effect asatisfactory weather-tight joint.

ln order to insureaccess of the solvent to the surfaces and to increase the duration of its a plication, the spaces between coils into whic the solvent enters may be occupied by an absorbent or wick-like substance,vpref erably applied in the form of a strip at the time of original preparation of the roofing, and the vehicle for solvent thus provided may also be impregnated with cementiti'ous substance in quantity sucient to render it more eective but not suiicient to prevent absorption of solvent; the vehicular appcation of cementing substance thus realized being either suficient to render the seam waterproof or being merely suiiicient to supplement cementitious substance drawn by the solvent out of the main body of the roofing material. Again, this vehiclethus applied may be either very thin so that it will merely serve as a means of bringing the solvent into position, or it maybe of sufcient thickness to serve as a packing and take understood,

up unevenness in the space between the overlapping portions of the roof. If of sufficient thiclmess, and .particularly if it carries soluble cernentitio-us matter, for instance, .powdered bituminous matter, the filling strip may be used upon roofing, from the marginal se'aming portion of which the weathering mineral or anti-adhesion talc has not been omitted in the process of manufacture.

In order that the invention may be fully several embodiments thereof have been shown in the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings- Figures 1 and 1a represent, respectively, an open sheet and a roll of roofing material embodying one form of the invention; Figure 11 also suggesting the method of dipping the roll in the solvent. v

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, and Figure 2a an end view of a roll, showing another form of the invention.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figures 1 and 2, and Figure 3a an end view of a rol showing a third form of the invention.

Figure 3b is a modification of the form shown in Figure 3.

Figure l is an embodiment showing a modified method of renderingadhesive the lap seaming area of the sheet.

Figures 5, 6, and 7 are a sectional view and two partial perspective views representing modified constructions of lmarginal tape vehicle for use in realizing the conditions of the present invention.y Figure 8 discloses a method of applying the solvent to the lap seaming area through means-of a portable absorbent body in the form of a roller; and

Figure 9 is a detail view of an end cap adapted to be applied to a roll of roofing to insure standing the roll upon its proper end.

Referring to Figures 1 and la, A represents a rooting sheet, B the weathering surface thereof, and C the lap seaming area along one margin of the sheet. For the purposes of the present invention, av strip or tape D is laid upon the sheet A and rolled up with it toproduce the roll E shown in Figure 1, in which the strip or tape D develops spaces F between the coils of the roll so that when the roll is dipped in a receptacle X, containing a iiuid solvent Y of proper depth, the solvent will enter the annular recesses between the rolls and attack the soluble adhesive with which the sheet is surfaced or impregnated, and thus adapt the sheet ,to be put in place upon the building structure. The spacing tape D in such a roll/serves the further `purpose of preventing the grit or mineral substance B from. working down over the seaming area C while the roll is in shipment and when it is standing upon its end.

.In order to insure the standing of the roll upon its storage, one end of the roll as shown in Figure la, is preferably provided with aknob G, as shown in detail in Figure 9, having a `core H adapted to enter the bore of the roll,

and with a flange I to limit. its intrusion, so that theknob Gr willalways develop a sufticient prominence to prevent the roll being' stood on that endl 'Ihe knob G is of sufliciently small diameter to enter within 'the bore of another roll standing on the roll first named..

According to, Figure 2, the tape D is placed in position upon the lapv seaming area, and this tape is of porous material adapted to absorb the solvent and convey it to the soluble adhesive'carried by an overlapping sheet, the tape being put in place upon the seeming area when the impreg natinfr or surfacing material is hot and before 1t is set, but preferably after the grit. has been pressed upon the hot asphaltic' surface of the sheet. Tape D', like the tape D,

serves the purpose of excluding the grit from the exposed asphalt margin or lap seaming area, and when rolled up with the roofing roll to which it is adhered, it fills the space between the coils which are left free in Figure 1, and being porous will admit and in fact induce entry of the solvent between the coils vof the roll when the roll is dipped into the solvent bath, as suggested in Figure la. `When the roll is unwound at the place of use, the tape remains in position and delivers the solvent to the overlappedl sheet, besides serving as a packing to effectually lill the space between the overlapped sheets and all 'inequalities thereof and remaining to deliver the solventl to both sheets and draw out the cementitious substance which is to'ultimately seal the joint.

According to Figures 3 and 3", -the vehicular tape D2 is kept separate from the sheet and packaged with the roll so' .that it can be saturated and laid upon the roll or between the lap seaming areas of two sheets when placing the sheets in position upon a building, the'v packing thus provided being in place between the overlapped edges as they are nailed land remaining with its contained solvent to attack the cementitious filling of the overlapped sheets and bring about adhesion. v

As suggested in Figure 3", the gritty surface B is not excluded from thelap seaming area, but is permitted to cover the entire sheet in the manufacture of the latter` the vehicular packing strip D2 having sufficient body and compressibility to adapt it to effect a tight joint, notwithstanding the presy ence of the grit in, the joint.

According to Figure'- 4, the lap seaming area C is rendered more effectively cementitious by embedding therein, either upon a proper end in shipping and' of cement surface from which the grit has been excluded or-upon a gritty surface, finely subdivided solid asphaltic or other cementitious substance, so th'atwhen encountered by the solvent there is a considerable efective body present to do the work.

The sheet shown in Figure 4 may have the strip D, as in Figure l, or either'of the strips D', D2 of Figures 2 and 3, used in connection therewith, or it may be otherwise manipulated to bring the solvent in contact with its lap seaming area.

As suggested in'Figure 5, the poroustape may be saturated at one edge D3 to limit the flow of the solvent through the tape to prevent it from passing beyond the area to be treated. .Suc-h a tape acts as a packing and may be furnished in rolls, or it may be dipped and laid between the joints, or it may be fastened tothe roofing sheet and rolled with the sheet and have the end dipped after unrolling on the'job.

Figure 6 represents a porous tape construoted of material which acts as a spacing means in roll roofing -or mastic roofing which it is desirable to dip into a solvent for a considerable depth.

Figure 7 represents a porous tape prepared with a bituminous or adhesive dust or other cementitious substance permeating it in a dry state, which tape can be coiled and embedded in the roll or cemented to the seaming area 'before shipping, and which, upon being immersed in the solvent or otherwise having a solvent suppliedthereto, will become adhesive and aid in uniting the two faces of overlapping sheets, besides serving as a packing for the joint. This tape may be used where the seeming area is.

covered with grit or mineral, or where the lap seaming area has not received thespecial treatment herein described.

The tape of Figure 7 might also be satu-. rated with a non-dr ing 011 and placed in a roll of roofing, with theioil acting as a partial solvent, so that upon unrolling the roll the tape can be removed and used to condition the seeming area for the reception of an overlapping sheet.

As suggested inl Figure 8, a roller of felt or other absorbent material can be used as a.

carrier and distributor of the solvent, and made to give up the solvent to thevseaming area by passing the 'rollerover such area until the desired amountof adhesive has been given up to the lap seaming surface.

In cases where it may be found desirable, the rooting sheets for one or both of the overlapping members may have applied to the lap seeming areas a material which will be especially eilective in building u a substantial body of adhesive and which will' be particularly amenable to somel particular. solvent used upon the interposed tage. This special body `oi. adhesive may also e selected with a view to avoiding discoloration of the exterior roofing surfaces which it may possibly reach in getting beyond the points of the lap seam. I have discovered by experiment that two substances which are particularly well adapted for building up the body of adhesive as above described and serving as a solvent therefor are, re-- spectively, paraffin, for instance, the ordinary commercial article, and second, a substance known in the market as minwax or its equivalent, which readily attacks the paraffin and adapts it to spread and conform to the lapl seaming areasv as well as making it adhesive and water-proof, especially when the roofing sheets themselves give up some of their bituminous matter to unite with the paraffin and its solvent. The adhesive obtained by a mixture of paraffin and minwax or its equivalent is especially advantageous for use in seaming roofing and seaming exible roofing sheets because it becomes quite viscous or fiuid under the higher temperatures that will naturally develop upon a roof under the suns rays at any season of the year, and thereby insures the curing and improvement of the same after it is formed.

Under some circumstances it will be desirable to mix the paraffin and minwax to a consistency which will adapt them to be sat-- urated into a tape at the place of manufacture of the roofing, and at such consistency as will cause the mixture to act as asolvent of the bituminous matter with which the roofing sheets themselves are impregnated. Such a tape would be prepared and rolled separately andvpackaged with the roll of roofing so that the tape could be unrolled and laid 'upon the seaming area of the roofing after the material had arrived at the place of use. prepared roofing may also be followed in supplying any other suitable solvent of coinbined solvent and cementitious matter for instance, bituminous matter in solid .but subdivided form'in a vehicular tape or strip to be interposed between the overlapping portions of the roofing sheets.

I claim:

. 1. The improvement in the art of joining roofing sheets, which consists in providing upon .lap seaming areas of sheets, a soluble cementitious substance, and applying to said areas a solvent for such cementitious substance` and completing the joint while such substance is in adhesive state.

2. The process of preparing roofing sheets composed of fibrous material carrying amastic substance at the lapping area thereof, which consists in bathing the lapping area thereof before laying with a solvent which converts the mastic into adhesive or sticky i condition. l y

3. A roll of sheet roofing material having vThis method fof furnishing a lap seaming-area developed along a inargin of the material in position to lie at theend of a roll of-such material when formed therefrom, and having the coils of such roll spaced to admit a solvent between the coils in Vthe vicinity of such area.

4. The method of lap-seaming sheets of fibrous roofing material impregnated with bituminous substance,', which consists 4in treating such bituminous substance before the sheet is laid with a solvent thereof 'at atmospheric temperatures, and thereby converting it into adhesive condition.

5. As 'a new article of manufacture, a roll of sheet roong having mounted upon the lap seaming area thereof a strip of porous material which spaces apart and fills the spaces between those portions of the coils of said roll which correspond to the lap seaming areas.

6. Sheet roofing having a seaming area. -impregnated with bituminous matter, and having embedded therein particlesof subdivided adhesive matter adapted to become sticky under the action of a solvent.

7. In combination with sheet roofing havv ing a lap seaming area, a solvent vehicle associated with said area, said solvent vehicle having av portion thereof saturated with a tillerwhich limits the flow of solvent.

8. In combinationiwi'th sheet roofing, a

porous tape adapted to serve as a vehicle for` contactwith the seaming area thereof; one

of said members being provided upon its contact area with a body of paraffin and the other carrying a solvent of paraffin.

12. In roofing, a seaming ]oint comprising a roofing member saturated with bituminous matter and carrying upon the seamin area thereof'a body of paraffin, and tape a apted to contact with said seaming area carrying a solvent of paraiin together with bituminous matter'.

13. In rooting, a joint comprising overlappingl roofing sheets containing bituminous matter, and an interposed vehicular body carrying a. mixture of paraffin and a solvent at a consistency which adapts it to dissolve the bituminous matter contained in the roofing members.

14. As a new article of manufacture, a

package of roofing containing sheetv roofing material impregnated with a soluble cementitious matter and a vehicular seaming tape or strip impregnated with a solvent for said 5 cementitious matter.

15. As a new article of manufacture, a package of roofing containing sheet roofing material impregnated with a soluble cementitious matter and a vehicular seaming tape 10 or strip impregnated with a solvent for said cementitious matter, said solvent also in cluding a thickening medium.

16. As a new article of manufacture, a package of roofing containing sheet roofing material impregnated with a soluble cementitious matter and a vehicular seaming tape with a solvent for said or strip impregnated cementit-ious matter, cluding a thickening rendered cementitiou solvent.

Signed at Chicago,

0f October, 1920.'

said solvent also inmedium which is itself s by the action of the Illinois, this 19th da)r ALBERT C. FISCHER. 

